Manawatu Farming Lifestyles, February 2023

The Manawatu Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company.

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Journalists: Denise Gunn | Andy Bryenton | Amy Fifita

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Website: farminglifestyles.co.nz Opinions

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Field days unite town and country

by Denise Gunn

This year’s Central Districts Field Days mark the 30th anniversary since the event first opened the gates.

Ice Cycle manufactures and supplies water chillers with electronic expansion valves ensuring close temperature control preventing freezing, heat exchanger failures and unnecessary use of glycol. We can supply insulated water tank/chiller and pump sets on easily transported stainless steel frames ready to connect to dairy vats or milk heat exchangers. These “plug and play” systems are also available as icebanks to maximise power savings.

Recognised as New Zealand’s largest regional agriculture event, the Central Districts Field Days covers more than 33ha at Manfeild Park in Feilding. The event’s central location proves an ideal hub to cater for the heartland rural sector of the North Island.

Starting with 230 exhibitor sites back in 1993, the field days has grown and developed to now accommodate more than 600 exhibitors from around New Zealand. The event draws more than 30,000 visitors each year.

In the lead-up to each event, the venue undergoes a steady transformation within just a few days. Farm machinery and tractors arrive, marquees are set up and stallholders display their products, turning the site into a village.

With the latest in cutting-edge technology, machinery, automotive and equipment on display, and stateof-the-art agricultural innovations and lifestyle products, there is plenty to interest visitors.

Top-notch regional food and local brews will be available. The destination hub will feature Brew Union as well as cuisine and lifestyle pavilions. Demonstrations, displays, exhibits and live music will keep the crowds entertained too. The National Excavator Operator competition will return,

along with freestyle motocross and fencing contests.

The jam-packed three-day event brings farmers and townies together, giving visitors opportunities to yarn with each other and the exhibitors.

“This is a much-anticipated event that has become a highlight of the year for the rural sector,” said Central District Field Days event manager Jonathan Paul.

“From farmers and foodies, to tech-heads and townies, there is something for everyone. We know how much people have been waiting to reconnect with the greater community, support local brands, and of course, enjoy some great deals.”

There’s also an ultimate prize pack up for grabs with a wide range of goodies, including a Brent Smith trailer and a Honda outdoor bundle. Entry for this is on iPads provided at the event.

The Central Districts Field Days will be held from Thursday, March 16 to Saturday, March 18, 2023. Gates open at 9am over the three days.

Event tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. Online ticket purchases are available now and cheaper than gate sales at $20 for each adult and $50 for a family of five (children up to 15 years). Further ticket, exhibitor and visitor information at cdfielddays.co.nz.

Cow & Horse Processing in Levin

No Moore Hassel Pet Food is an MPI approved and recognised primary meat processor. Based in Levin we offer local farmers a free and highly professional pick-up service for unwanted healthy cows and horses in the Manawatu-Wanganui region. If you would prefer to transport your animal yourself or have your horse or cow put down on the farm then we can arrange this with a No Hassell guarantee.

About Us

Our in-house processing plant enables us to guarantee the consistent quality and reliability of the process from the picking-up to the putting-down of the animal. As a recognised specialist you can rest assured that our years of expertise and close connection to the farming industry makes our service as convenient, respectful and professional as it can be.

The Central Districts Field Days will be held from Thursday, March 16 to Saturday, March 18, 2023

Support for cycloneimpacted communities

by Denise Gunn

With many communities in the region facing clean-ups and repairs following Cyclone Gabrielle, people are encouraged to reach out for assistance.

“We are thinking of those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, both here in our region and across the country,” said Horizons Regional Council group recovery manager Dr Jon Roygard.

“We know the immediate adrenalin that kicks in during an event will be starting to fade and want to remind our communities to reach out to the available support.

“There’s a link to all welfare information we have collated on the homepage of our website at horizons.govt.nz.”

The website provides information for mental health needs, financial assistance, rural support and donations. Also included is regulatory guidance relating to washed-out tracks, bridges and culverts, stock burial, damaged fences, milk collection and full effluent systems.

“We know many in our communities will have close links to neighbouring Hawke’s Bay and other parts of the North Island, who have been severely impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.”

District and city councils, iwi, primary sector and community groups are providing considerable support to affected communities.

“Tararua District Council remains the most active as they continue to reconnect with isolated locals. Telecommunications are improving now the Ākitio cellphone tower is restored. Lines companies are working hard to get power restored

throughout the district and roading teams are focussing on high-priority roads.”

Dr Roygard said it is recognised that further needs may become apparent as telecommunications and connections improve.

“Horizons will continue supporting district and city councils, recovery agencies and iwi in the coming weeks. Our council, and others in the region, are also providing personnel to assist with efforts in Hawke’s Bay.”

In addition to coordinating and supporting regional recovery, Horizons will continue flood asset inspections and environmental data infrastructure repairs.

“Fortunately, the majority of our systems are intact, but we have a large area to cover, and water levels are still high in places. Landowners who see river management damage on their properties can register this with us via RMEnquiries@horizons.govt.nz.

Up-to-date information on river heights and rainfall is available via Horizons 24hour toll-free Waterline 0508 4 FLOOD or via horizons.govt.nz.

Updates will also be posted to the Manawatū-Whanganui Civil

Defence page at facebook.com/ civildefencemanawatuwhanganui.

Road closures, delays and warnings can be viewed at

journeys.nzta.govt.nz/manawatuwhanganui.

Local radio stations will also broadcast any civil defence updates.

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Dr Jon Roygard, Horizons Regional Council group recovery manager

BY DENISE GUNN

FARM DEVELOPMENT

The couple’s Kinross Partnership operates as a mixed sheep, beef and deer breeding and finishing unit.

Tony said the focus is on breeding quality stock in an environmentally friendly way to return a profit.

“Finishing lambs and Wagyu beef, selling weaner deer and Angus steer calves store.”

Lambs and cull or prime cattle are sold to Silver Fern Farms, and weaner Angus steers are sold through the Feilding saleyards. Wagyu cattle, when reaching two and a half years, along with prime and cull deer, are sold to First Light. Weaner deer go to a finishing farm.

Farming challenges began as soon as the Grays took possession of their

northern Pohangina Valley farm. The 275ha effective property was hit by the February 2004 storm, resulting in flooding and slips.

Following the 2004 storm, Horizons Regional Council formed the Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) in an attempt to reduce hill country erosion and assist with flood protection further downstream on the plains. The development of a Whole Farm Plan was implemented under

SLUI to identify sustainable resource management and sustained business growth opportunities on farms. A land management expert and farm consultant works alongside farmers who volunteer to be part of the scheme.

Tony and Lynda were the first farmers to complete a Whole Farm Plan, initially planting six hectares in Douglas Fir. Since then, the couple has planted more than 1,000 poplar poles, including in the deerfenced areas.

Credit: Carly Thomas Linda and Tony Gray on their 410ha Utuwai farm

Tony and Lynda Gray purchased their 410ha Utuwai farm in 2003, developing the property to maximise returns alongside caring for the environment.

In 2011, the couple retired a further 52ha of regenerating land to add to an area of the farm under a QEII covenant. This area has grown to 125ha.

Tony said they’ve improved environmental sustainability of the farm with planting and fencing to protect infrastructure.

Over the past 18 years, all waterways have been fenced off from cattle and deer.

The couple has also increased the number of laneways for ease of stock movement.

A goal to reduce reliance on dams is well underway.

“We are installing a solar power water system with reticulated water to nearly every paddock,” said Tony.

Located near the Ruahine Ranges, the farm receives an average annual rainfall between 1,200 – 1,400mm. Fertiliser is applied to the property annually and lime is applied every third year.

“Depending on the season, we buy in six tonne of maize grain and 84 bales of quality

baleage for feeding deer. We buy more if there is an early drought or hard winter. Two hundred conventional bales of hay are set aside for the cattle. We make our own hay and baleage when the season permits.”

Lambing starts mid-September, cows calve in mid-October, and fawning usually begins mid-November. Farming through extreme weather events, including several droughts, proved challenging. The increasing amount of farming compliance and regulations also causes uncertainty.

However, after an initial 10 years of financial struggles, Tony and Lynda began reaping the rewards for their hard work, with the farm returning profits. Ewe numbers reduced from 1,100 to 900, and the lambing percentage rose from 140% to 160% last year.

The Grays have been involved in several governance roles. Tony was the Western North Island Beef and Lamb Farmer Council deputy chairman, the

Beef and Lamb NZ Farmers Research Advisory Group chairman, and the branch chairman of the Central Regions Deer Farmers Association. He is currently an area representative for the Manawatū/ Rangitikei Rural Family Support Trust. While their children were at primary school, Lynda held the treasurer position for the Awahou School board of trustees. She is now the Pohangina Catchment Care Group secretary and treasurer of the newly formed Manawatū River Catchments Collective.

Tony and Lynda’s efforts in developing their farm were recognised with two awards at the 2020 Ballance Environment Awards. They also received the Supplier of the Year award from First Light Venison in 2016. Now, the couple shares their skills and lifestyle with second-year veterinarian students and international travellers.

“One of our farming highlights has been able to raise our two daughters in a unique environment and seeing them thrive as motivated young adults,” said Lynda.

Whanganui Girls’ College provides a quality education within a caring environment. We enable students to experience a wide range of opportunities to extend their learning horizons.

We are an all girls school with classes from Years 9 to 13. We also welcome international students from a variety of continents.

Nestled in the grounds of Wanganui Girls’ College is Ad Astra Hostel, a self-contained site in park-like grounds. We can house 120 students with amenities including a gym, pool, conference facilities, canteen and laundry, together with a suite of computers enabling internet access for homework completion. Hostel directors live on site and are available 24 hours a day.

Ad Astra Hostel provides a secure and compassionate environment where all students are encouraged to adopt a collaborative and supportive approach to school and hostel life. This support fosters high expectations and ensures students feel well prepared to achieve in their academic studies. There are also plenty of opportunities to participate in sport and many other extracurricular activities. The key social skills learnt at Hostel lay the foundations for positive connections throughout life. We provide a myriad of choices on how to spend time, whether it’s sporting, cultural or academic, to ensure your daughter is well-placed to reach her absolute potential in school and beyond.

The couple focus on breeding quality stock in an environmentally friendly way to return a profit

KEEPING THE FAMILY FARM TOGETHER

Scott and Claire own and run the 800-acre property with the help of their teenage sons, Ben and Logan. The farm has been in the Clare family since the early 1900s.

“We bought half of the farm and took over running it in 2013,” said Claire. “The original woolshed and other farm

buildings are all still used today. The farm is a lot smaller than it used to be in past generations.”

FAULDINGS 2019 LTD

The family run 1,700 Romdale ewes, 500 hoggets on the property and close to 2,500 lambs. Claire said there are also 70 share-farmed Angus beef steers, and they graze around 140 cows during winter. A main mob of Perendale/Romney cross ewes lamb in September, and a terminal mob of ewes go to the Southdown ram to lamb in August. Lambs are sold store, mainly through Ovation. The addition of 72 beehives this year will provide an additional income stream. Scott and Claire are also currently looking at the Emissions Trading Scheme for their mānuka and poplar trees.

323 6068

The couple is employed off-farm too. Scott spends up to three days a week working as a casual farm worker. Two days a week, Claire travels to Feilding to work as a personal assistant for a lawyer and a horse stud farm.

In 2017, after riding on a couple of organised horse treks with mixed experiences, Claire considered setting up trails for horse riders and hikers on their own farm. Scott and Claire already had a trail in mind on the farm, so they set out marking it. They’ve since added two more trails for different ability levels and to offer longer distances.

“We had to make sure we had our health and safety in order as well. Our goal was to provide a place where people could meet up with their friends and have a weekend or a few days away, at an affordable price, and without lots of people involved.”

Scott and Claire with their sons, Ben and Logan

Since opening the gate of their Stormy Point farm in Waituna West, the Clare family has achieved a goal to provide a place for horse trekkers and hikers to share their piece of paradise.

A group of riders ready to ride over the farm

A range of riders visit the farm for treks. The diverse terrain is also ideal to train for competitive trail rides. Claire said guided treks are available on request, and Facebook is used for all enquiries until a website is completed. “It’s a great place to gain confidence on hills.”

The farm’s rolling to steep country provides different trails and levels for riders and hikers. Farm views take in the Rangitīkei River and terraces, the Manawatū plains, the central plateau mountains, Kāpiti Island and sometimes the tip of the South Island.

Scott regularly checks the condition of the trails and ensures the signs are still in place. The trails are closed to the public for two to three months during lambing. Owning their own farm has given the family a sense of achievement with

the flexibility to make additions to the business. One of the highlights is seeing people relax and enjoy Stormy Point farm.

“When people return week after week, or year after year because they love it, that tells us we are doing something right,” said Claire.

Receiving top dollar for wool and other farm products is also rewarding. “Everyone likes to be rewarded for their efforts and farming is one of those industries that you can feel unrewarded at times.”

In 2019, Salmonella, through some of the family’s breeding flock devastated their business. They lost more than 200 ewes; all scanned in-lamb with twins.

“We changed the flock to Perendale ewes while Scott was managing the farm before we purchased it. When we got

Salmonella, one of our changes was to put Romney back through the flock to lift their fertility.”

Since selling and replacing 200 ewe lambs with full Romneys to help hasten increased fertility, the lambing percentage rose from 138% to between 148% to 150%.

Claire said interest rates and government ideas of farming are also ongoing challenges.

“To be able to keep a family farm in a family takes a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. It’s a special thing to have a sixth-generation farm, and the pride and sense of belonging that comes with that as well.”

Moving a mob of cattle

Pet lambs at feed time

Monitoring water levels at a glance

by Denise Gunn

The Smart Water SW900 system takes the guesswork out of gauging how much water is left in your rainwater tank.

Famco Water Cartage has supplied and installed the current Smart Water SW900 model across the wider Manawatu region for the past four years. The level sensor, mounted on the water tank, calculates average daily usage and the number of days until empty, assuming

there is no rainfall within that time frame. A display unit positioned in the house shows the required information.

Famco’s owner-operator Wytse de Vries said the monitor could be checked at a glance to discover the water level.

“The system is particularly useful for older and busy people. You don’t have to climb up on your tank and check how much water is in it.”

The Smart Water system also displays a 30-day trend for a single tank system.

It can be shown up on the display unit and the free phone app.

“If it’s rained, and the gutters haven’t been cleaned, you will know as the water tank level doesn’t go up.”

Wytse said abnormal water usage, such as a sprinkler or tap left on, is also detected. “It will notify you in hours of abnormal usage.”

The level sensor can be mounted on any water tank, concrete or plastic, above or below ground. “We can supply

and install them, or you can install them yourself.”

If there are multiple tanks, Famco Water Cartage can integrate the system.

“Some farmers use them to pump water across the farm. For the majority of users, it’s a display and single tank sensor, so they don’t have to worry about running out of water,” said Wytse.

The team at Famco Water Cartage takes pride in providing prompt, efficient service at a competitive price.

In addition to delivering water, Famco Water Cartage also supplies and installs the Smart Water SW900 system level sensor

Turn over a new leaf

Your animals don’t know it yet, but their life is about to change, for the better — so is yours.

Twenty-two years of research, input from a leading animal scientist, intense genetic selection and rigorous testing have led to a new, easy-eating perennial ryegrass with improved nitrogen uptake.

“That means your animals don’t have to work so hard to consume the thousands of bites they need to sustain themselves each day. It also helps you utilise nitrogen fertiliser more efficiently,” says Barenbrug pasture systems manager Blair Cotching.

Bite me!

The new ryegrass is called Array. It was bred for high intake and easy grazing with dense, erect tillers that stand tall and literally put themselves closer to hungry mouths.

“A dairy cow might take 25,000 bites a day, while a ewe might take 35,000 bites. That demands a lot of energy. Array takes some of the physical effort out of this process,” Blair says.

In creating Array, Barenbrug sought advice from Dr Alastair Nicol, then senior lecturer in animal science at Lincoln University, renowned for his work on grazing behaviour and plant preference.

Lean and keen

Like all the company’s new grasses, Array was subjected to restricted inputs during development to help ensure it could cope with real-world conditions on-farm.

Unlike others, however, it showed a rare ability to grow more than its peers under low nitrogen, Blair says.

A trial comparing the same cultivars sown and managed identically under high, medium and deficient nitrogen levels, confirmed Array had the edge when nitrogen was scarce because it could extract much more nitrogen from the soil.

Win-win

What does this mean for your farm? First, more even pasture growth at times when

Standing tall — Array was made for easy grazing

soil nitrogen is deficient. Second, a win for the environment because it gives you the potential to utilise nitrogen more efficiently.

Array is the highest-yielding ryegrass Barenbrug has bred and is unbeaten in the National Forage Variety Trials for both total yield, and winter growth.

It is the only diploid perennial ryegrass in the top 5-star category

for all regions of the DairyNZ Forage Value Index. It has Barenbrug’s highest ranking for pasture persistence, so you can sow with confidence. Array comes with NEA2 endophyte and is available in limited quantities this autumn.

Talk to your seed merchant for details.

Skills and speed with excavators

Twelve regional champions will contest the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition title alongside defending champion Troy Calteaux during the Central Districts Field Days in March.

Troy, a digger operator from Otago, works for Andrew Haulage, covering all aspects of civil and earth-moving contracting work in the lower South Island. He notched up his second CCNZ CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition title at the Central Districts Field Days in 2021.

It’s been a two-year wait to defend his title as the Central Districts Field Days were cancelled last year due to Covid-19.

The 2023 event promises an exciting two days of competition with a variety

of challenges lined up for competitors. Tasks range from core job skills such as precision trenching and working carefully at speed around underground services to slum-dunking a basketball into a twostorey concrete tower.

Competitors are skilled excavator operators from around New Zealand. The competition provides an opportunity for New Zealand’s top operators to test their

skills against their peers. The event also plays a major part in showcasing the civil construction industry and equipment used on the job. It includes the state-of-the-art Hitachi excavators provided for the competition by the event’s naming sponsor, CablePrice. This year’s competition field is still to be decided, with the Manawatū and Wellington regional events being held during the next month.

Taranaki champion Shaun Curtis of I&D George Contracting often works near the Maui gas pipeline. He said digging in areas where the risks are high means in-depth technical skill and knowledge are needed.

“I often work near the high-pressure Maui pipeline, which runs through Taranaki. When you’re working with oil and gas lines, you have to be pretty careful and have a lot of precision, so all of the challenges were good for me in that way.”

Shaun is looking forward to representing Taranaki at the event. “I’m really keen for the nationals. I’ve never been to the field days, so it will be nice to compete there.

“I enjoy operating excavators because there’s a lot of satisfaction in seeing the end results of your work. Getting given a job, picturing it in your head and then achieving is really satisfying. You can be proud of what you do every day.”

The National Excavator Operator Competition was created in 1995 by the Civil Contractors New Zealand Manawatū branch. It’s still operated by this branch, and founding contractors, Graeme Blackley and Grant Smith, remain involved.

The Manawatū-Whanganui event, to decide the region’s representative for the national competition at the Central Districts Field Days, is to be held on Sunday, March 5.

The crowd looks on at the action during the 2021 National Excavator Operator Competition

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High-quality in-shed feed systems and feed mills

Central Silo Systems Ltd specialise in the design, supply, installation and service of grain storage, grain handling, feed milling/mixing equipment and animal feed systems.

The company provides the highest quality grain silos, in-shed feed systems, feed mills and components on the market and offers after-sales back service and support.

We have been family-owned and operated since 1978. Central Silo Systems has delivered innovative solutions and proven results for 45 years.

Central Silo Systems has been delivering innovative solutions and proven results for 45 years expanded our fleet, so we can continue to provide the best installation and backup service with prompt parts dispatch.

Centrally based and located in Palmerston North, we have a number of reputable installers and service technicians in various locations throughout New Zealand.

An extensive workshop/warehouse provides prompt delivery of equipment and service. We have also recently

Central Silo Systems highly recommends the addition of a feed mill to any new or existing in-shed feed system. A feed mill provides many benefits over and above a standard in-shed feed

system, from reducing feed costs a tonne and producing high-quality nutritional feed fresh every day while giving you the ability to change diets/recipes with seasonal or animal requirements.

Our feed mills automatically mill whole grains, add proteins, minerals and liquids to any recipe, and efficiently mix all ingredients. The European quality Skiold Disc Mill is the best mill available on the New Zealand market. It mills grains for maximum nutritional value and is user-friendly.

It’s designed for longevity, and our smaller units will mill up to 5,000 tonnes of clean grain and our larger units up to 25,000 tonnes until spare parts are needed, dependent on the size of the mill — just a pump of grease every 500 hours. The Skiold Disc Mill can mill multiple grinds, with low-power consumption and low noise.

Minimise waste and maximise production. All of our customers advise us of the ongoing animal health benefits associated with having their own feed mill and using a Skiold Disc Mill.

We take pride in the fact most of our work is from customer referrals. We do not just sell our products, but we install and service what we sell, which in return gives us great ongoing customer relationships.

Name change and new members for awards

The new year has seen a name change for the executive of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and two new members welcomed on board.

The name change from NZDIA Executive to the Advisory and Engagement Group is to reflect better the roles members have within the awards programme.

NZDIA general manager Robin Congdon said the team is thrilled to welcome Milton farmer Louise Sahin, and Manawatū farmer Maegan Legg, to the group and looks forward to working closely with them.

“We are excited to have new members on board who will bring different skill sets and experiences that will complement our existing members,” he said.

“They will work closely with the other members and the management team to help with the continuous evaluation and development of the NZDIA programme and help us engage with the regional committees and entrants across the country.”

Maegan and her husband Terry won the 2020 Manawatū Share Farmer of the Year title. Maegan was also the 2021 and 2022 regional manager and the 2021 and 2023 share farmer team leader. This year, she has taken on the role of the skills day coordinator for the region too.

“I have a passion for personal growth and believe the awards programme is an amazing avenue to really understand your own passion and drive, both within and beyond the dairy industry.”

“I feel very positive about the changes that have already been made to all the

forward,”

Louise and her husband entered the share farmer category five years ago. She is thrilled to now be in a position to give back to the programme.

“I found the experience to be a great opportunity to learn about our

business, our strengths and our weaknesses, and allowed us to explore new business opportunities we hadn’t previously considered.

“I believe it’s important for industryled programmes to stay ahead of

developments within the dairy industry and continue to share the good farming stories,” she said.

The NZDIA comprises of the New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year, and the New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year programmes, as well as the Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award.

Maegan Legg is one of two new members welcomed to the NZDIA Advisory and Engagement Group (AEG) categories and look forward to working with the team to solidify changes moving

she said.

BY DENISE GUNN

Scott and his fiancée Emma Poole own and operate an online farm shop Local Food NZ. Emma also has a rural background, raised on a Taumarunui sheep and beef farm. She and her three siblings were very involved in helping out on the farm, from drenching lambs to drafting cattle.

On leaving school, Scott started out in the dairy industry. He then took a break from farming and headed to the United Kingdom to live and work in London for a couple of years.

While living in London, Scott noticed that the majority of the eggs over there were free-range. He did some research and noticed that the New Zealand egg market for free-range was far behind the United Kingdom.

“Scott thought, surely the trend in the UK would flow to New Zealand soon. That is why he went with free-range eggs. He also wanted to support and lead the way

Animal welfare is paramount

for better animal welfare, which is a strong belief of his,” said Emma. When Scott returned from the UK, he set his farm ownership plan in motion,

initially leasing 15ha from his parents, Craig and Vicky. “This gave his business the opportunity to buy the land off his parents.”

background growing up on a Feilding lifestyle block inspired Scott Jimmieson to set a goal towards farm and business ownership.

An old deer shed on the Halcombe property was used to house the original 500 hens. Scott and his parents dismantled the deer yards and rebuilt to accommodate the hens with perching areas and nesting boxes and installed feeders and water lines.

Emma said Scott’s parents have been there every step of the way and offered endless hours of support.

Five years working as a car salesman for McVerry Crawford in Feilding taught Scott about customer service and negotiation skills and gave him a better understanding of the business world.

Emma works off-farm as a radiographer, specialising in mammography in Palmerston North and with the BreastScreen Coast to Coast mobile unit.

Eggs are collected daily, then graded in sizes and packaged three days a week

She helps collect eggs on the weekends and assists Scott with the administration side of the business.

The first egg collection took place in 2016, and Scott sold the eggs wholesale. In 2019, Local Food NZ was established, and Scott began selling direct. Beekeeping business DownUnder Honey and Scott’s brother, who owns a small family business producing locally roasted coffee are also selling their products through Local Food NZ. Scott and Emma plan to expand the product range.

“It felt really reassuring that all the hard work was finally paying off,” said Scott.

“Just to get the business off the ground and get the hens in the shed was a huge task. So to see the eggs being produced and then selling them was so satisfying.”

LAND CLEARING EXPERTS

The hens are let out of the shed around 9am when the majority have finished laying.

“We shut the doors again at night once the sun has gone down, and they have all returned back into the shed. We lock them in at night to keep them warm and to keep the hens and their eggs safe from predators,” said Emma.

Hens are also kept indoors if there is a major weather event. “This is for their health and safety,” said Emma. “Chickens are very much creatures of habit. They will lay their eggs at roughly the same time every day and in the same nesting box. So this means someone has to be on egg collection every day.

“The hens’ nesting boxes have sloped floors, so once they have laid their eggs

they roll down on to a conveyor belt, so we can collect them easily at the end of the shed.”

Egg grading and packaging take place three days a week. Eggs are graded into sizes and then packaged into boxes.

Scott’s father, Craig, delivers eggs to bakeries, cafes, restaurants and home delivery customers around the Manawatū, Kāpiti Coast and Wellington four days a week.

“We have an awesome team that helps us pack and grade eggs. Scott floats in and out, helping with the packing, delivery and the sales side.”

The couple holds a strong belief that having a connection with your food and eating wholesome, healthy food is the key to happiness, and they wish to share this with others. 06

Scott also helps with the packing, delivery and sales

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“Mobility for life” products and services to help people be mobile and independent, we hire and sell everything from walkers, crutches to scooters and all mobility products in between. Proud ACC and Enable contractors with experienced technicians on the road daily for mobility equipment repairs and maintenance, as well as house modifications. Free in home demonstrations for most products. 2020 ELECTRA BUSINESS & INNOVATION AWARDS

An adventurer’s mate

by Ann van Engelen

Last year, Kate Mounter and Amber Shaw launched their business Parachute First Aid to fill a need for

people living rural lives.

“Amber and her husband Dave produce two TV shows — The Red Stag Timber Hunters Club and South Seas Spearo,” says Kate.

“My husband and I are 50:50 share milkers, milking 320 cows once a day. Our paths crossed with the Shaws 15 years ago, when Dave and I worked together on the ITM Fishing Show. Several years later, Amber and Dave started to produce the Red Stag Timber Hunters Club and South Seas Spearos.

“Amber discovered that many of their team struggled to source fit-for-purpose first aid kits. She battled to find decent kits for the adventurers in their lives — hunters, hikers and children. In the end, we decided to design our own.

“Amber has pharmacist qualifications and training. I have experience in teaching, childcare and farming, and I have had many adventures across the globe. So we teamed up together and created Parachute First Aid.”

Amber and Kate designed four functional and stylish first aid kits — The Wilderness, The K9, The Ouch Pouch and The Family Essentials Box.

“We are also stocking other top-quality first aid essentials on our website. The Wilderness is for hunters, hikers, and family adventurers, the K9 is for hunting dogs because at times they can get injuries, and the Ouch Pouch, is perfect for nappy bags, hand bags, pushchairs and backpacks.

“The Ouch Pouch includes a QR code that unlocks the Ouch Mouse — a clever character

created by a Kerikeri local, Kylie Penn. Ouch Mouse is via video and voiced by well-known children’s entertainer Suzy Cato. It entertains an injured child with a mindfulness exercise to help quickly calm and soothe them. It is a very clever point of difference from any other first aid kit on the market.

“We also have the Family Essentials Box, which we think is a must-have first aid kit for all family homes. We are collaborating with top local brands such

as Goodbye Ouch. All of our kits are customisable and contain benchmark quality first aid equipment.

“We aim for Parachute to be the home for trusted quality and sustainable first aid kits and products in New Zealand. People can keep up to date on the Parachute First Aid Facebook page or our website parachute.nz.”

Kate Mounter and Amber Shaw with their Parachute First Aid kits they designed for people living rural lives

There are several Parachute First Aid kits available for hunters, farmers and families

New event at games

A new forestry championship, raising awareness of skills needed in the forestry sector, will be held during the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games.

Funded by the Forestry Growers Levy Trust and organised by the Southern North Island Wood Council, the inaugural Golden Loader Forestry Championship will be held on Sunday, March 12. The competition will feature two competitors racing against each other and the clock to unload a truck and trailer in The Square in Palmerston North.

New Zealand Rural Games founder Steve Hollander said it had been a longterm ambition of the rural games to host a forestry championship alongside traditional sports that helped build the nation.

“Forestry is a huge part of rural Aotearoa. It’s only fitting that we celebrate its role by creating a championship highlighting the skills required to drive forestry machinery.”

Team members from John Turkington Limited and McCarthy’s Transport will manage the championship.

Southern North Island Wood Council chief executive officer Erica Kinder said the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games provides forestry with an excellent opportunity to lift the sector’s profile.

“Forestry is growing, and currently contributes $6.6 billion to our economy and employs between 35,000–40,000 people. Forestry is one of the fastestgrowing sectors within the food and fibre sector,” said Erica.

“There are fewer exotic forests in New Zealand than a decade ago. However, with more being planted on highly erodible soils, adopting new technology, an increasing commitment to sustainability and higher returns, it is a buoyant sector that needs more skilled people.”

Tony Groome MNZM manages the Golden Loader Forestry Championship. He is a forestry manager with a long history in the sector, alongside serving as a volunteer firefighter and involvement with Land Search and Rescue.

He said only those who live near forestry blocks or work in the sector get to see this type of action.

“So it’s great to showcase it in the heart of Palmerston North and the rest of the country through the Rural Games and TV3.”

Tony said entries are limited to 24. Only those who currently work in the sector, and have their loader ticket, can participate. The competition will run from 9am to 1.30pm.

Erica Kinder, Southern North Island Wood Council chief executive officer

“Forestry is a huge part of rural Aotearoa. It’s only fitting that we celebrate its role by creating a championship.”

We will be displaying a range of our top quality mulchers for diggers and tractors as well as sprayers for UTVs, ATVs and Utes.

Education programme passes milestone

Wool in Schools has just seen the 25,000th student pass through its wool sheds.

The Wool in Schools programme, established by Campaign for Wool, is a global initiative spearheaded by the former HRH The Prince of Wales. In 2015, the project’s first converted 20-foot shipping container, known as the Wool Shed, was opened at Tawa Intermediate by His Royal Highness.

With interest from primary and intermediate schools around New Zealand snowballing since then, a second container was created in 2018 to support the South Island better.

The Wool in Schools experience takes approximately 30 minutes as children pass through a series of interactive stations inside the Wool Shed. Each station teaches them about wool processes and the different uses and benefits of wool in fun and engaging ways. There is also a mini loom in the container so they can try weaving.

Funding by Campaign for Wool, with sponsorship from PGG Wrightson Wool, ensures the Wool Shed visits are free of charge for schools. Containers are on-site at each school for up to two weeks, and teachers are provided with a comprehensive set of workbooks prior to the container arriving.

Wool in Schools will soon be taken to new heights with expansion into secondary and tertiary settings. The containers will also be freshly painted with new interactive displays, and the charity will launch a digitised format for resources.

Advocacy for Campaign for Wool NZ general manager Tom O’Sullivan said being able to educate 25,000 New Zealand school students is a real privilege.

Students learn about wool processes and the different uses and benefits of wool, with the Wool in Schools programm

“We’re so pleased with the response to the Wool Shed project. It’s a fantastic milestone to have reached 25,000 pupils. My own two daughters have been through the Wool Shed themselves and still talk about it at home.

“We still have a long way to go and would like every school student in New Zealand to have the opportunity to experience our Wool Sheds and learn about wool in this way.”

Each school’s Wool in Schools experience usually includes a visit from a local PGG Wrightson team member to add an even greater depth of knowledge and provide inspiration to the students.

PGG Wrightson general manager of wool Grant Edwards believes the initiative is wonderful.

“It’s something we are delighted to be involved with.”

Teachers or principals can register their interest for a Wool Shed visit via the Wool in Schools website.

Chem-Dry Removes: of allergens from carpets and upholstery 98% of airborne bacteria, improving indoor air quality 89%

Using Chem-Dry’s proprietary Hot Carbonating Extraction process.

Chemdry Palmerson North 0800 355 662 palmerstonnorth@chemdry.co.nz

Where dragonflies delight

by Liz Clark

The presence of a peaceful pond full of flowering lilies, lotus and other greenery can have a calming effect after a long day working.

Even the smallest space can have a pond or deep, wide pot growing water plants in one form or another. You don’t need a grand garden to enjoy a water feature and provide a ready-made home for frogs, dragonflies and other aquatic creatures. If you have goldfish, the addition of aquatic plants will provide shade from the hottest part of the day. They also provide protection from predators and oxygenate the water.

First of all, decide on the type of pond you would like to have. Most are preformed with pockets for marginal plants. Alternatively, if you have a larger area, a more natural type of pond can be dug. The minimal depth in artificial and natural ponds should be at least 30cm or more to accommodate deep-water plants and provide cooler growing conditions.

In natural waterways, pond plants grow at various depths, creating a balance

between each plant species. Variablelevel planting also ensures the water pH level is kept suitable for ornamental pond fish.

Pond plant types include:

● Deep water 30cm–1.2m water depth — suitable for flowering plants with floating leaves such as lilies and lotus

● Deep-water oxygenators — swordleaved type plants, which are essential for fish

● Marginal water plants — these grow at various levels on the pond edges depending on the species

● Floating plants — these float on the surface without rooting into the base or sides of the pond

Creating a pond takes some planning. Allow for the planting of larger species, such as ferns, around the outer edges to provide shade at one end of the pond. Choose your plant sizes carefully to avoid

removing them later because they’re too big. Dense planting will help prevent weeds from coming up and overtaking the pond.

It’s also important to be aware that some pond plants have become a serious problem in New Zealand waterways. NIWA

has produced a comprehensive list of pond plants that can be used safely for pond plantings — visit niwa.co.nz/sites/ niwa.co.nz/files/import/attachments/ aquarium_low_risk.pdf.

For more information and advice, visit your local garden centre.

Advanced skills in panel and paint

by Denise Gunn

Since establishing Advanced Panel and Paint in 2005, the team has put in the hard yards earning a reputation for top-quality repairs and great workmanship.

How does magnesium help cramp?

by John Arts

Those that experience muscle cramps know how this happens. Mostly at night, muscles can suddenly cramp with intense pain. Cramps can often be related to physical exercise, dehydration, low salt intake and other factors such as some diseases and medications.

Muscle contraction starts with a nerve impulse that arrives at muscle fibres (cells). It commences a process that results in muscles contracting and allowing movement in our body. It is worth noting that there are three types of muscles: skeletal muscles are attached to bones to allow us to move; cardiac muscle is the special type of muscle that makes up most of our hearts, while smooth muscle lines our blood vessels and organs.

Owner/managers Mark Neilson and Brent Tinetti originally set up the business on Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North. The pair worked together in the automotive industry for many years before deciding to form Advanced Panel and Paint.

In 2015, the decision was made to move to the current premises at 465 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North. These premises provide more space with a larger workshop and yard, ensuring faster turnaround and coping with an ever-increasing volume of work.

Although specialising in repairing and painting heavy machinery, the team also provides the same exceptional service to all types of vehicles.

The team’s highly skilled repair work also goes hand-in-hand with great, friendly customer service.

“We do it all, from the small jobs to the big jobs and anything in between. No job is too big or too small for our talented staff. All our work is guaranteed,” said Mark.

A team of 13 takes care of clients’ requirements. “We have five panelbeaters, six painters, one workshop assistant and the office extraordinaire.”

Continually upskilling staff is a priority too. Individuals attend courses through I-CAR New Zealand to learn the latest developments in automobile collision repairs. Local paint companies also provide on-site training.

“With many changes in the automotive panel and paint industry, it’s good to stay on top of it,” said Brent.

In addition to upskilling the current team, there are plans to employ more experienced staff members.

Advanced Panel and Paint is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.30pm, and Saturdays between 8am to noon.

Phone 06 356 7191 to discuss all your machinery and vehicle panel and paint requirements. Free quotes are available.

Calcium is needed for muscles to contract by controlling the nerve-muscle junction. Magnesium is needed for the relaxation of muscles by its role in maintaining muscle electrical activity. Magnesium competes with calcium in this process as it binds to the same sites. A calcium/magnesium imbalance can cause cramps and cardiac muscle heart rhythm issues. That is often because of low magnesium intake, especially in relation to calcium intake.

Fortunately, increasing magnesium to help with cramp is relatively simple by using quality magnesium supplements. The challenge is finding a supplement that works for you. While some supplements use a single

form of magnesium, my preference is to combine three different forms as these are absorbed differently. Some are more rapidly absorbed, while others take longer but have longerlasting effects. I suggest you avoid supplements with magnesium oxide as it can upset digestion.

There are also wide variations in the magnesium doses people need. It is why my magnesium supplement has a dosage range of between one to four capsules daily. That allows for experimentation to get the ideal dose.

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice, contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

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• Marine magnesium 121 mg

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How can Magnesium Triple help?

• These high grade forms of Magnesium are quickly absorbed to get rapid benefits

• Its is ideal to help relax sore or tight muscles

• Can help with restful sleep

• To help with PMS related tension

• Helps muscles recover after exercise

• Supports healthy heart rhythm

John Arts comments:

• Magnesium Citrate 258 mg Phone

“Abundant Health rapid absorption Magnesium Triple can really help tight or stressed muscles and for a good night’s sleep. The 3 different forms of Magnesium mean you get fast results. The normal dose is 2 before bed.”

(John Arts, Founder, Abundant Health)

356 7191

“Increasing magnesium to help with cramp is relatively simple”.

Advanced Panel and Paint is based at 465 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North

Celebrating seven-plus decades in business

have been selling and servicing tractors in the region since 1946.

TRC Tractors is celebrating being local in Manawatu for 75 years at this year’s Central

TRC Tractors will be at its usual site C25/C26/C27, at the CD Field Days at Manfield. They will have a great range on display of their key brands — Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Valtra and Stewart Trailers.

It’s great chance to see the Massey Ferguson 8S Series, which recently arrived in New Zealand, and will be on-site. It is an award-winning highhorsepower tractor designed by farmers for farmers. It is a tractor that outperforms in comfort, connectivity, ease of use, power efficiency, output and low cost of operation, offering top reliability for fully maximising uptime and the best return on investment.

Also on show will be the Massey Ferguson 7S Series, which provides ultimate efficiency and reduced operating costs. The MF 7S Series incorporates the technology you want, setting standards for ease of operation and reliability.

They will also have the demonstrator Stewart NZ5500 Trailer set up on air suspension on-site, so a great chance to see this great set-up and talk to the sales team about a demo.

On top of all that they will be drawing the winner of the Kids’ RZR200 worth

$10,000, so if you have purchased an eligible Massey Ferguson tractor or implement in the last six months, you will be in that draw. So head along to the TRC Tractors site on the Saturday and see who the lucky winner is.

The prize that will be drawn at the Central Districts Field Days There is still time to enter the draw. So if you are thinking of getting a new tractor or implement make sure you see the sales team at TRC Tractors before the competition closes.

“It’s great chance to see the Massey Ferguson 8S Series, which recently arrived in New Zealand, and will be on-site.”

ADVERTORIAL

by Denise Gunn

Keeping hedges trim and tidy

Lloyd (Fitzy) Fitzsimons’ small

property owners.

Fitzy has an extensive background in machinery and the agricultural industry. On leaving school, he helped on the family farm for a couple of years before driving machinery for a local hay contractor.

Together with his wife Barb, he established a small earth-moving business in Taranaki. The couple operated this company for 18 years before moving to Manawatu in the mid-1990s.

“It was while relief truck driving I came up with the idea of a small hedge trimming business,” said Fitzy. “We looked around at buying one but couldn’t find what I wanted.”

Fitzy went back to the drawing board to design and build his own hedge trimmer.

“It’s on a 40-horsepower tractor and has two saw blades. The cut is 1.6 metres each cut. Plus, we’ve got a two-

shelterbelt trimming

metre reciprocating blade, which is like a sickle bar mower.

“We can cut level on the top to about three and a half metres. We can also work in a gap two metres wide.

“In the future, I hope to build a mulching head. If we had to clean the job up, we could just mulch it back on to the ground. Also if someone has some overgrown grass in a paddock, it could be mulched down.”

Around 12 months ago, the husband and wife team established their small hedge and shelter trimming business. The business provides clients in the wider Manawatu and surrounding areas with shelterbelt and hedge trimming requirements.

“The hedge trimmer weighs no more than the family car, so therefore is gentle on lawns and driveways. It leaves a light footprint. It also fits on a trailer, so it is easily transported.”

Can cut hedges up to 5 metres high, top at 3.5 metres and fit down small accessways (2 metres and wider).

A light weight machine that will be gentle on lawns and unsealed areas.

Easy transported on a trailer so small jobs not a problem.

Operated by Lloyd (Fitzy) and Barb Fitzsimons

Fitzy said they’ve received great feedback and everyone has been positive about it.

“The other day, a guy told me what I did in one hour used to take him eight days to do.”

Fitzy and Barb welcome enquiries to discuss small hedge and shelterbelt trimming requirements. Email fitzyandbarb@live.com or text 027 4494 7526 or 027 552 4489 with name, address and brief description of work.

hedge and

business has earned him a sound reputation with home and lifestyle

Using a hedge trimmer, he designed and built himself, Lloyd (Fitzy) Fitzsimons provides shelterbelt and hedge trimming requirements to clients in the wider Manawatu area

Games make a return

Every March, rural athletes from across the country gather in Palmerston North for a three-day extravaganza of sports that helped build our nation — the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games.

From sheep dog trials and woodchopping to gumboot and cowpat throwing, there’s something for everyone at this exciting, free event.

On Friday, March 10, students from the region test their food and bre sector skills in the All ex Clash of the Colleges. At the same time, it’ll be loud and fast as with the Stihl New Zealand Men’s Timbersports championships.

Saturday, March 11, features the Women’s and Rookie Timbersports Championships, the strong men of speed fencing, gumboot throwing and egg throw and catch and the NZ secondary school shearing championships.

On Sunday, March 12, the action continues with the golden loader forestry championship – this new championship will pit the best operators from the Mid Central region against each other as they load and unload a trailer! The big boys and girls of the highland heavies compete in the afternoon while young farmers take on the man and mutt race. There’s the traditional coal shovelling and expertly skilled speed tree climbing.

For Saturday and Sunday, you can join the Property Brokers Have

a Go sessions for gumboot and cowpat throwing, gearing up a standardbred horse, coal shovelling and egg roulette.

For the under 12s, there’s tree climbing, miniature pony cart and digger rides. The incredible team from Kelly Sports run Kids ‘n’ Country various games, from tug-o-war and haybale races to footy and face painting. Take advantage of this chance to witness incredible feats of strength and skill!

The Rural Games is on March 10–12, at The Square, Palmerston North. Visit ruralgames.co.nz for more information.

Thrills and spills all set

Mud, rollovers and engines with plenty of grunt will keep spectators entertained during the upcoming Manawatu round of the National Four Wheel Drive Trial Series next month.

Fifty of the top 4WD vehicles, from around the North Island, are expected to compete at the event, held as part of the competition series. Six rounds of the national trials, each organised by a local 4WD drive club, are held annually between Labour Weekend and Easter.

The Manawatu 4WD Club organises the local round of the national trials series, with strong support from club members.

Stuart Earle is one of the local organisers. He said there are 30 different courses during the day, split evenly to run in the morning and afternoon.

“All courses start at the same time, and therefore, there is a lot of action happening in every direction.”

With the ultimate aim of obtaining a perfect score of zero, drivers and navigators in teams of two will work together to get their trucks through each section of the course.

Stuart said hazards, which include driving up and sideways across very steep hills that would be hard to walk on, create spectacular viewing. The course is designed with this in mind.

“Identifying areas that will be challenging for competitors and put on a good show for the public,” said Stuart.

“There are plenty of vantage points to be able to watch multiple courses without

having to move, and close enough to feel and smell the V8 engines. If lucky enough, get covered in dirt. While close to the trucks, the public area is safe for all ages and families to attend.”

Competitors are split into seven classes, depending on their vehicle’s engine size and modi cations. The sport is described as a mixture of nesse and precision, testing man and machine. Up to 3,000 spectators are expected throughout the day.

“The action runs all day, so can come and go at any point. For a family price of $20, this is amazing value,” said Stuart. The event will be held on Pollock Road, Colyton on Sunday, March 5 from 8.30am–4pm. A variety of food vendors will be on-site. All funds raised will be donated to the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter.

For more information, search Combi Clamp 4x4 Extreme on Facebook.

Jono from Jono and Ben will be back to compete in the Lumberland Coal Shovelling Championships — you, too, can have a go thanks to Property Brokers

our sponsors

Photo Credit: Sam Bolton Photography

Skilled, experienced team at X Span

by Denise Gunn

X Span agent Brock Davis has his own team of steel frame shed installers, constructing sheds of all sizes across the wider Manawatu, Whanganui and Horowhenua regions since 2021.

Brock grew up on the family farm in the Manawat� and began his engineering background while in college. His engineering background, coupled with involvement in large commercial shed builds, made the steel frame sheds very appealing.

He can customise solutions to meet individual clients’ needs for any size shed, big or small, turning a proposed building project into reality. Clients can also design their own shed to meet requirements.

Four experienced steel frame shed installers work in Brock’s team, Docky’s Contracting Ltd, constructing garages, storage sheds, workshops, farm sheds and heritage barns, and commercial and industrial buildings. If a kitset shed is required, or a full turn-key solution the skilled X Span team is on-hand to help.

Each construction project starts with ground preparation and foundations. Brock

said if clients would like this done for them, his team can take care of it, dependent on review. The team can also assist with arranging concreting requirements.

When purchasing a new steel shed, clients can rest assured that they are getting the best product at a great price. X Span’s premium steel sheds offer the best in engineering design and strength, using the best New Zealand steel.

Brock and his team cover the entire Manawatu-Whanganui area, incorporating Palmerston North, Whanganui, Horowhenua, Rangit�kei, Tararua, Ruapehu and Foxton districts. A couple of recent X Span projects include a heritage barn in Whanganui and a commercial premise in Foxton.

“Highlights are always seeing the finished product with staff, which is very rewarding for all,” said Brock.

Industrial

100%

Enjoy the experience

Locals and visitors alike have the opportunity to make memories at the Central Districts Field Days.

From farmers and foodies to townies and tech-heads, New Zealand’s largest regional field days has something for everyone from Thursday, March 16 to Saturday, March 18, 2023.

If it is your first time visiting the event, there are some 535 exhibitors across 785 sites. There will be displays with the latest equipment and machinery, such as tractors and fencing equipment, cutting-edge machinery and the latest developments in rural innovation, thrilling FMX shows, lifestyle trends, top-notch regional food and local brews.

Eventgoers can obtain a variety of exclusive deals and have the chance to chat with exhibitors. Take the opportunity to stock up on special treats while enjoying fun and freebies for the whole family.

Exhibitors include Brent Smith Trailers, specialist manufacturers of bike trailers, car trailers, heavy duty commercial trailers, tipping trailers and ute decks, canopy trailers, horse floats, dog trailers and boxes. The 100 per cent owned and operated New Zealand family business has had one owner for more than 35 years.

Whether you are local, or travelling from afar, the Manawatū has many hidden gems to offer, including rural adventures and urban city sights. After hours, enjoy some of the many

eateries off-site while catching up with new friends and old, in the city and in the countryside.

In Feilding, some standouts include Piccolos, Amayjen the Restaurant and The Strong Room. In the wider region, Ginger Bird in Colyton is a cafe not to be missed, along with The Herb Farm Cafe in Ashhurst.

If you want to take in some natural sights, put on your walking boots or hire a bike and check out the stunning scenery. Feilding on a Friday has the award-winning farmers’ market held in the town square providing tasty treats, fresh produce and artisan delights. Another not-to-be-missed experience is Feilding’s world-class Coach House Museum.

Manawatū caters to everyone’s tastes and comforts. While you are off the farm, consider having an extended stay at one of the many hotels, motels, B&Bs, farm stays and glamping sites, or stay close to the field days activity at Āpiti or Kimbolton. These spots are known for their selection of activities and are sure to turn your stay into a memorable experience.

The Central Districts Field Days is the success it is thanks to the partner family, who continue to help provide a memorable event, and support and share what field days are all about.

Custom-designed and built chillers

They’re talking super-cool, like around two degrees or even minus-18 degrees. These are ideal temperatures to cool, store or freeze your product safely, whether it’s an animal or an apple.

Oneshot chillers and freezer rooms can be built from scratch to suit your purpose; alternatively, existing units can be modified or repaired, and parts replaced to fulfil any requirement.

Efficient refrigeration and freezing depend on one simple thing: consistent and reliable internal temperature. According to Andrew and Dianna, choosing a facility to deliver that reliability and costeffectiveness is simple, too, and they are happy to share their professional expertise with you.

Their team is technically certified in the provision of appropriate and eco-friendly refrigeration for a multitude of uses, large-scale or small. Andrew has qualifications as a refrigeration engineer, backed up by his experience as an electrician. He understands how fridges tick. He can even design a chiller or freezer

system tailor-made to meet your requirements; source, install, service, maintain and repair it.

From commercial to industrial to domestic, Oneshot chillers are perfect to best protect the quality and longevity of beasts being readied for consumption or tanning, of general foodstuffs and liquids requiring cool storage or for horticultural produce.

Oneshot Chillers also supply ideal temporary cooling accommodation for big game animals intended for taxidermy and trophy mounting.

The company has the right type of chiller or freezer unit, mobile or permanent and 100% Health and Safety compliant available to:

 Private hunters

 Farmers

 Taxidermists

 Orchards

 Tanneries

 Hospitality venues

 Cafes

Oneshot’s chillers and freezer rooms are suitable for all food-handling enterprises. A warranty on all parts used is as per the manufacturer’s specifications.

When Andrew and Dianna of Oneshot Chillers talk about keeping cool, they’re not pushing the benefits of a hand-held fan while the weather’s hot.

For all of your Plumbing, Drainlaying, Septic Tanks, Pumps, Fires, Water Filters, UV lamps, Farm Water schemes and more.

5 Ton Digger with Auger & Truck Hire.

Meet the Need is a farmer-founded and farmer-led charity connecting farmers who want to donate some of their produce and families in need.

“From a very young age, I was extremely passionate about farming,” said Sandra.

“My mum passed away when I was five years old, and my dad Joe Dangen became a solo father. Dad instilled good values into me, and the experience helped to build my character.

“I am a real farm girl at heart and went to university and studied sport and recreation to become a physical education teacher. I then obtained a netball scholarship and did business strategic management and marketing, but the love for the land never left me.”

Sandra met her husband Todd while in Perth, Australia.

“Todd grew up in Murchison, and we always wanted to go farming and

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

decided to roll our sleeves up and have a go. As a family, we decided to buy Glenhope Station, and we came home because the opportunity to go farming

doesn’t always come very easily. Todd and I purchased the plant and stock and leased the farm back from his parents.

Meat the Need ambassador Sandra Alfeld grew up on a beef and sheep farm and now helps farmers provide food for families in need.

Sandra and Todd Alfeld with their children Zandi and Jax on the family farm

The Alfelds enjoy having the tourism side of the property such as the guided lama tours and river rafting

“We had broom plants as high as a house and climbed trees to find livestock. Half were wild, so they were culled, and we currently run Angus and Hereford breeding cows. We have good genetics now, and you can drive past them and they hardly move.

“We had a German investor, but sadly he passed away, and Todd and I had to buy his share of the land two years ago.”

The couple also velvet stags, with the velvet going to Korea, Japan and China for health supplements.

“We have cabins dotted throughout the 24,000-hectare station that are hired by people like big game hunters, fly fishermen and trampers. There is a 46km track that loops the entire station, and we do guided hunting, white water rafting and allow mountain biking and horse trekking groups on to the farm. We also have a lama trekking guide that takes groups on high country wilderness tours.

“The tourism side of our business is a result of my marketing, sport and recreation qualifications. We are isolated here, so I had to make the lifestyle work

for me and think outside the box as I missed the social interaction. Opening for tourists was a great project.

“Our property is a great spot for other farmers to get away to as well, it has a very diverse landscape, and we love sharing it with like-minded people. Glenhopestation. com has all the information.

“My other passion is my Meat the Need charity work. I read a book about finding your purpose in life. It said when you couple your strength with your passion and find a way of serving others, you have found your meaning in life. My strengths are marketing and sponsorship, my passions are farming and people, and by helping source funding for our charity, I am serving others in need.

“I saw families doing it tough, and as a mum, I understand how challenging it can be to put meals on the table. I saw a vacancy at Meat the Need and thought, wow, I can help service 110 food banks throughout New Zealand. I applied and got the role of partnerships manager and manage the portfolio of our Rural Business Supporters.

“By helping support food banks, we make a real difference. At meattheneed.org there is a section to donate either livestock or milk through Fonterra, Miraka or Silver Fern Farms. Anyone can donate a virtual animal, including the general public and businesses. Even $5 helps with meat and milk.

“Being involved with this cause is the most inspiring and humbling work I have ever done. Meat the Need is only three years old, and in December, we raised 1.2 million meals through our rural telethon called The Big Feed.

“I ask all farmers to look at meattheneed. org and think with your heart. We are in a position of influence, and it is an easy process logistically. What does our society of tomorrow look like if we turn a blind eye to the social problems of today?

“Never have we been in such dire times socially in New Zealand. We are stronger if we collaborate together and show our communities what the agricultural sector is really made of.

“There are many concerns about the urban-rural divide, but through donating milk

and meat to Meat the Need, we help bridge that gap. We are people of our communities and the land, and if we can help, we should.”

CENTRAL AUTOMOTIVE

long established and trusted family firm with a modern, professional approach.

locations in Feilding, Palmerston North, and Marton we have the most modern and stylish facilities available and the only privately owned and operated Crematorium.

Anyone can donate meat and milk to the Meat the Need charity

Ranfurly Manor Feilding is a purpose-built retirement village and aged residential care facility

We have 74 rest home or hospital-level care rooms available. In addition, we have a 25-bed centre for specialised dementia level care. This provides for residents who need to be cared for in a restricted / secure environment with specialist Dementia trained staff. Rest home or hospital level care is also offered in any of our 53 residential care apartments. These rooms include a private lounge, en-suite and kitchenette. Residents of these rooms enter into an Occupancy Rights Agreement (ORA) whereby you purchase the rights to live in that apartment. They are available as single or double bedroom apartments to suit married couples or partners, siblings or good friends.

While Ranfurly Residential Care Centre's main focus is on offering premium residential care services, we also have independent living villas. New independent living villas are being built and pre-sold now.

These are ideal for individuals or couples looking to downsize, are still able to live relatively independently, but want the advantages and conveniences of having a care facility and help nearby.

Residents in these units purchase an Occupancy Rights Agreement. There is a monthly corporate maintenance fee which includes your lawns, gardens, and any maintenance work. Rates and Building Insurance paid by Ranfurly Manor.

HIGHLIGHT

2 double bedrooms with double wardrobes

Laundry located in the large garage

100m2 approximately (including garage)

Purchase price includes floor coverings, curtains, dishwasher and stove

Walk-in shower (no step up into the shower)

Heating supplied by heat pump

Brick building – low maintenance with small lawn and garden area

Call bell connected to Ranfurly Manor rest home facility for safety/security

Meals available at Ranfurly Manor rest home facility for a small cost

Activities and outings are available to all Ranfurly Manor village residents

Prices range from $360,000.00 to $485,000.00

These are being pre-sold and won’t last long.

Thinking an independent living villa is for you? Please contact our Sale Executive Leanne to have a chat. 021 1905 953 | (06) 323 5050

sales.ranfurly@promisia.co.nz

6 Monmouth Street, Feilding

The construction of new independent living villas is currently underway

Protect your machinery with lanolin

A small investment to stop rust will lengthen the life of farm machinery, like quad bikes, ATVs, trucks, loaders and fertiliser spreaders, just to name a few.

The protection comes from Prolan, an iconic by-product of New Zealand’s sheep industry — lanolin. Prolan makes natural, environmentally friendly lubricants and corrosion inhibitors, which are getting noticed on the other side of the world.

Prolan owners Murray and Julie Shaw now export their product to Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, UK, Netherlands, Canada and even Guam. Prolan is used for wind turbines and cranes as well as by pump manufacturers and trucking firms.

Prolan NZ Director, Murray Shaw, said the company has an extensive range of products made from lanolin (wool grease), which is secreted by sheep to protect their fleece in harsh conditions. We’ve replicated that action to protect a range of surfaces.

“We spent a lot of money researching how to take the lanolin and blend it with natural products to make industrial lubricants,” says Murray. “I’m so proud of the ground we’ve made in our export markets. We’re well ahead of our competitors. It’s solid progress, and it’s exciting.

“Prolan’s rust treatment more than doubles the life of farm machinery. A quad bike, for example, costs around $20,000 and often only has a life

‘Lanolin

of four to five years on a dairy farm. Washing and drying that bike and applying a coating of Prolan will prevent the chassis of that bike (or any other farm implement) from developing rust — effectively doubling or tripling its life.”

The Prolan can simply be applied by a compressed air paint system and, once dried to a waxy surface, will withstand water-blasting.

“Where paint hardens and cracks as the implement flexes under use, the Prolan coating remains flexible, preventing any ingress of moisture,” Murray said.

“It’s so versatile — everyone should have a can. We live in a coastal country, so anyone with a motorhome, a boat, a trailer or a quad bike would benefit from

the anti-corrosive properties. Even small jobs like a squeaky door hinge or a sticky shower door are an easy fix with Prolan.”

It’s also environmentally friendly — taken from nature to protect nature.

See us at the Central Districts Field Days — Site S43.

Prolan New Zealand

Vehicle chassis coated with Prolan Extreme

Moveable house solutions for clients’ needs

Manawatu-based family business Ready House Movers are second-hand facilitators — buying, selling and shifting houses.

We can relocate that old building, making way for a new build, or move a new transportable home on to your bare section for a quick alternative to building from scratch. Our team moves buildings from a couple of metres to hundreds of kilometres — if you have a problem, we can help with the solution.

If you’re in the market for a secondhand forever home, bach or rental, we are able to source what you want from our network nationwide. If you want a speci c house, we can locate the home you want, with regards to the era it’s built, the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, layout and size. We can also nd a house to t your budget — one needing renovations will be cheaper than one that doesn’t.

DAVID

We shift houses all over the North Island, even though we are based in Manawatu. Ready House Movers has three trucks and two trailers to get the multiple shift moves done. We have a local yard with houses coming and going regularly.

As we are investors and developers, we can help with land packages that are not ready for sale. If nance has been an issue, come and talk to us, as we have mortgage brokers and nance people that can deal with each speci c move and nancial situation.

Ready House Movers is a family business run by brothers Mike and Lincoln Barnes. They have been in the property development business their whole lives. Now, with the addition of house relocation trucks and equipment, they can

Phillip Cockery OWNER

133 South Street, Feilding 4702 06 323 1080 | 027 442 2456 feildingtractors2018@xtra.co.nz

CASE IH | NEW

| KUBOTA SAME | FIAT | FORD | DAYDONE

JOHN DEERE | ISEKI | MC CORMICK MASSEY FERGUSON

complete many of their own and others’ property development tasks with ease. Do you have a property project you need help with? Mike and Lincoln are ready to help you at whatever level you need, from complete project management from start to nish or just

help with picking it up and putting it down.

If you’re looking for great value for money houses shifted onto your site, piled and signed off by the council, call Lincoln on 021 455 787 — we can take care of it all.

Ready House Movers has the solutions for all your second-hand housing needs

The men who circled the square

by Andy Bryenton

Round bales in pastel green wraps are a feature of the rural landscape in modern times, but it took more than half a century for the concept to cotton and replace the square bales many still think of when hay is mentioned.

While the humble haystack was supplanted by a clever invention commercialised by Cyrus McCormick in 1874, round balers never caught the public eye until they went large. A round baler powered by steam was shown off in Paris in the late 1800s, but it didn’t offer any kind of big advantage over the square bale concept.

A production baler that rolled and compacted hay went into production after the second world war, with Allis-Chalmers making a go of the concept until 1960. However, it was just after this that the big innovation in round baling came about as part of a farming student’s dream in Iowa.

Virgil Haverdink didn’t just have a great name for an inventor. He also had a burning need to come up with something special to use for his master’s thesis on mechanised agriculture. Stuck for a project that could earn him his degree,

Virgil paid a visit to Professor Wesley Buchele, who was a local authority in farming engineering. Whether or not the professor’s name, which rhymes with ‘bushel’ gave them inspiration is lost to history. What we do know is that the master instructed the student to think laterally on round baling and why it had never taken off.

What Virgil came up with led to a group of other students and their professor disrupting the whole baling process. They thought beyond the feat of parcelling up hay and considered what happened next. The group realised that a round bale of considerable size could be handled by a tractor with the right implements and that it would be easy to wrap and feed out with machines. The days of small bales slung by hand would be over.

Australia was all over the concept, with the Econ Fodder Roller Baler debuting

Gary Vermeer took an Iowan invention and made it a worldwide success with some clever additions and on-farm acumen in 1972 there in 1969. Later that year, as the world was rocked by Woodstock, an Iowa machinery company, Hawkbilt, talked to the team led by Haverdink and Buchele, and secured the plans for their invention. The Australians had beaten them to the punch. Still, the final word would go to another Iowan who gave the concept its final twist. Gary Vermeer switched up the machinery with belts to compact the hay, hashing out the design in chalk on his shed

floor. Thanks to him, the first truly modern baler was created, debuting in 1972. It wasn’t long before tractor drivers worldwide were learning to handle a bale spike or a set of grips, to tote the new round bales about the farm. Packing the equivalent of 40 small square bales, a single one of these compacted masses of hay can feed 20 to 30 cattle each day, making for more efficient farming.

Technology for changing times

by Andy Bryenton

While Northland Field Days is huge, it and all other farming shows are dwarfed by the ‘mother of them all’, Hanover’s vast Agritechnica, held biannually to showcase the best in farming technology.

The next of these massive events occur at the end of this year, and registrations are already set to close as the mammoth undertaking of staging the show gets up to speed. The theme for the next of these colossal events resonates with our field days this year; seamless green productivity through uncertain times.

“We expect the world’s leading trade fair to provide answers to the question of how a seamless supply of food is possible in light of current events,” said Tilmann Köller, a spokesperson for machinery heavyweight John Deere. “With its innovative technological solutions, the agricultural machinery industry is making a significant contribution to this.”

Mechanisation and automation have played a key role in making it possible to feed a growing world population effectively. Through the destabilising times of the Covid-19 pandemic, farming was one sector that proved resilient and remained productive.

Agritechnica has seen the debut of many new technologies, from satellite

navigation for fertiliser spreaders to undersowing with added precision and even hydrogen power for tractors. Now, the organisers are taking the show on the road to explore automation for other environments, above and beyond the pasture and croplands of Europe, which are only partially replicated in New Zealand.

While we have a lot in common with European automated farming practices, there are crops and environments in New Zealand that share similarities with places closer to home in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence why all eyes were on the first-ever Agritechnica hosted in Vietnam late last year.

“It is necessary to boost mechanisation in agricultural production, apply smart and environmentally friendly technologies towards digitalisation and automation to increase labour productivity,” said Vietnam’s Agriculture Minister Le Minh Hoan. Everything from rice-planting aerial drones to specialist tractors for steep hillside orchards was rolled out in the city of Can Tho to a packed audience.

Bert’s Fert

Agricultural machinery innovation is seen as the best way to increase farming productivity, and shows such as Agritechnica and the Northland Field Days deliver the cutting edge “Our demonstrations of the efficient irrigation systems for saving water while achieving higher yields resulted in many new ideas coming from our discussions with decision-makers and farmers,” commented Mr Klaus Ferk, Sales Director Asia, Australia and New Zealand at Röhren- und Pumpenwerk Bauer.

His company, like many others on the global stage, includes New Zealand in the Asia-Pacific bloc, and innovations made for the conditions of some other nations in this sphere are applicable to niche crop

and farming practices taking hold in parts of our own country. Northland, currently the site of large investments in dambased irrigation for cropping of exotic new fruits and vegetables, is one area which could well benefit from modular, off-grid water saving and deployment insights. With advanced mechanisation, the driving force behind local agricultural contracting businesses, all eyes are on the world’s biggest showcase of new, greener tech, both at home in Hanover and now in the east.

For

www.nitrosol.co.nz

Rolling into the future

by Andy Bryenton

Tyre tech is more important to tractor and machinery operation than many outside the agricultural industry know, with its impact on soil compaction, fuel usage and pasture management.

Recent years have seen major advances in tyre design, with increased flexion, smart technologies to manage internal air pressure on the fly, and even tread patterns designed to mimic evolved grip ideas from nature. Where the rubber meets the turf is a vital zone. The more science tells us about the importance of the biota just beneath the surface of our fertile fields, the more tyre technology adapts to let heavier, more powerful machines make a lighter footprint.

There’s some irony to the fact that innovators at the cutting edge of tyre manufacture envision a full circle of the ‘wheel of ideas’, back to an era when inflatable tyres are missing from the machinery shed. Of course, in earlier times, tractors were fitted out with cleated steel wheels, providing excellent grip but no cushioning for the soil or the posterior of the operator either.

A new generation of airless tyres has been posited by companies like Bridgestone and Michelin, which have been working on the concept for roughly a decade now. While it seems counter-intuitive to move away from recent advancements in flexion, strength and durability in air-filled tyres, the engineers behind this new, airless concept have some good points in their favour.

Bridgestone, for example, says that as well as eliminating the possibility of a flat, its concept airless tyres will provide reduced carbon emissions, as close to 90 per cent of rolling resistance in conventional tyres comes for the repeated deformation of the tyre’s shape as it rolls. It is exacerbated by heavier machines, so Bridgestone hopes that it can slash overall CO 2 by taking the air out of tyres.

Michelin has taken things a step further with a series of airless tyres for zero-turn mowers. While these are not the same weight class as big agricultural machines, lessons learned in this arena are transferable. It has found that air-free tyres mean a far more even cut, a steadier, smoother ride, and importantly, for future farm innovations, the ability to ride smoothly over stubble. With new cultivars of forage and food crops bred to have former stalks, stubble resistance is something farmers are looking for in their machinery tyres today.

Computer modelling and even AI design may be the key to developing airless tyres that are strong and reliable enough to cut it in the world of agriculture. When that time comes, current tyre manufacturers and local installers will no doubt lead the way, tackling the new challenges associated with the shift toward a whole new way of rolling.

Airless tyres are already appearing on some heavy equipment and ride-on mowers; how long before this tech can catch up with the latest knowledge on soil compaction in agriculture?

New Holland at new heights

by Andy Bryenton

German engineering is reckoned as some of the best in the world, and their award for industrial design is one of the most coveted on the planet.

It’s a rare occasion when the annual German Design Award for excellence in product design goes to a tractor. New Holland’s latest offering is a whole new take on the tractor for those who maintain vineyards and vine orchards. They call it the STC or Straddle Tractor Concept. Instead of making a narrow tractor that fits between the rows, New Holland has developed a stable platform which goes above and around the vines, lifting the driver and engine up high. The machine spans two rows at once with its keellike central body and outrigger wheels,

supporting a cab that boasts glass all around for full visibility.

“The revolutionary Straddle Tractor Concept is the result of the cooperation of two specialists in their respective area, which offers an elegant design, outstanding innovation and forwardthinking idea of machines in agriculture,” says Carlo Lambro, brand president of New Holland Agriculture.

That team-up of specialists involved a collaboration with Pininfarina, a company more used to working alongside the makers of supercars than super tractors.

New Holland’s innovative new method of tending vines has unexpectedly won a major award for design, making it both art and engineering at once From 1951 to the present day, only two Ferrari road cars have not been designed by the legendary company, and their other roll-call of classics includes coveted Alfa Romeos, Lancias, and even a convertible Cadillac.

“It is an honour for New Holland to receive this unexpected award. It makes us even more willing to continue to develop safe, comfortable, high-quality, and, of course, well-designed machines,” says Mr Lambro.

In terms of practicality, the STC has been designed with the needs of vineyards foremost. Some make the best

use of great sun and soil by placing rows of grapes close together, and even the narrowest conventional tractors struggled to mechanise aspects of the production process. Top winemakers were consulted in the design of New Holland’s award winner, the cab of which even echoes the shape of a wine glass.

Winners of other categories included eyeglasses, furniture, appliances and a futuristic bicycle, meaning that a big win for a serious piece of agricultural equipment was quite a coup for Pininfarina and New Holland combined.

Yellow is the new green for JCB

by Andy Bryenton

It’s world-famous for making big construction machines, but JCB is a force to be reckoned with in farming, taking out the coveted title of Sustainable Tractor of the Year in the 2023 international awards.

While the Tractor of the Year award has a decades-long pedigree, the top prize for a sustainable tractor is only four years deep.

Previous winners have included machines designed to run on methane and others which squeeze every drop of power from diesel. This time around, JCB’s Fastrac iCON won praise as much for its interaction with the soil as for its innovative twin-turbo common rail-injected engine.

Fabio Zammaretti, chair of the panel which awards the prize, says that while the six-cylinder, 335 horsepower plant was impressive and frugal, the Sustainable Tractor of the Year is not just about fuel economy.

“This is not an award to the greenest tractor. It’s all about how new technologies are making tractors more connected, more efficient, more reliable, safer, more effective on soil protection and less polluting,” said Mr Zammaretti.

The whole picture was taken into account, not the least part of which was the light tread of such a big and capable machine.

“Despite the generous dimension JCB Fastrac iCON is very agile thanks to the numerous steering options, including the ‘crab mode’ that makes this tractor gentile on soil,” said the judges.

Also noted were the advanced GPS systems, and integrated connectivity services

such as fleet management and predictive maintenance, which judges described as ‘a new level’ of quality. JCB is happy to fully customise a Fastrac iCON for its customers’ needs. That allows for a very versatile platform, seeing the big yellow tractors deployed across a multitude of farming roles.

“Creating a fully customisable experience was a top priority for JCB with the Fastrac iCON,” says Shane Coates, vice president of agricultural sales for JCB.

“In addition, our engineering team worked hard to integrate electronics technology such as ISOBUS and GPS guidance along with refining the driving comfort that the Fastrac offers.”

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Last but not least, the maximum speed on-road was noted. With the ability to traverse from field to field at up to 60km/h, operators can spend less time en route and more on the job.

Shane’s team are not resting on their laurels. Less than a month ago, the company unveiled plans for hydrogen technology following the successful launch of a specialist hydrogen refuelling vehicle that could revolutionise construction sites and farms in the near future.

JCB’s range of machines for agriculture is available in New Zealand. This latest big

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win has cast a halo on the entire product range, making them a very attractive proposition for those looking to upgrade their fleet.

We do a range of agricultural contracting jobs including silage, hay bales, ploughing and drilling, crops and rural carting, conventional hay baling and cartage.

Call Andrew: 027 444 9833

pedleycontracting@gmail.com

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JCB’s powerful Fastrac iCON tractor has won a major international award for its sustainable credentials

Washdown water savings

by Andy Bryenton

Water use on dairy farms has come under the microscope in recent years, and dry summers across much of the nation have done their part to make agricultural researchers seek a better water management method.

Cleaning

areas

One core area where a breakthrough was needed was in the treatment of farm dairy effluent (FDE). Washing down yards and sheds is a large water cost; 70 litres each cow a day is the accepted average. The resulting FDE is 99% water, with a load of only one per cent solid waste

material. If a way could be found to recycle the water while separating the waste, massive gains could be realised.

Enter a scholarly paper from 2018 by Keith C Cameron and Hong J Di. These researchers hit upon a solution; flocculation. In layman’s language, this

be more economical in the future, with the application of a Kiwi concept in water recycling term means making the solid matter clump up and settle to the bottom of a tank via gravity. By using a coagulant, a substance that promotes this process, solid waste in FDE could be encouraged to ‘floc together’.

To say that experiments on this idea using polyferric sulfate, safe for human consumption, were successful is an understatement.

“The new method of treating FDE was highly successful in removing the colloidal material and producing clarified water that can be recycled to wash the farmyard,” say Cameron and Di.

Turbidity in the treated FDE was reduced by 97%, and the presence of E coli was slashed by 99%. Effectively, FDE was converted to settled, solid sediment and reusable water ready for further washdowns.

Ag company Ravensdown then asked a pertinent question about turning this science into a practical system. What if FDE water could be treated and reused without fear of contamination or risk to the environment? The difference would amount to a potential total reduction in freshwater use on dairy farms of up to 42 billion litres a year. Working alongside Lincoln University, they developed a system called Clear Tech to make this technology available to farmers.

A field test at Greenpark dairy farm in the South Island delivered real-world figures. A Clear Tech system reduced freshwater consumption by 2,885,700 litres a year, recycling 66% of FDE. Could this breakthrough in science, converted to a practical system, be the future of water-saving for the dairy sector? If so, it’s a homegrown idea that could change the world.

SERIES

The Constant Angle Knife Sharpening System

up

where cattle have congregated may

Biofuel mandate up in smoke

by Andy Bryenton

The government’s planned biofuels mandate is set for the political scrapheap, with some calling the decision literally ‘cheap and dirty’, while others praise its pragmatism and the end of a possible new cost for farmers.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins admitted that scrapping the biofuels mandate would leave a hole in the nation’s carbon budget, which would have to be ‘plugged’ by other means.

“We’ve got work to do to identify how we fill a hole that’s created by the decision around biofuels, and we will do that with haste,” Hipkins said.

“The mandate would have increased the price of fuel, and given the pressure on households, that’s not something I’m prepared to do,” he said in making the announcement.

The rural sector in New Zealand uses more than 295 million litres of diesel each year, at a cost approaching $1 billion. Even a small percentage point lift in per-litre costs could equate to major expenses for farmers. That’s aside from the possible need to tune, alter or otherwise upgrade machines to run smoothly on the new mix.

Conventional bioethanol can be cost-competitive with petrol on a perlitre basis, but its energy content is about 50% lower than mineral petrol, according to the Ministry of Transport. In the United States, the retail price of biodiesel in neat form is about 20 cents higher a litre than that of mineral diesel.

The energy content of biodiesel is about 90% that of mineral diesel. It would all contribute to a higher cost of operations for diesel-powered machinery and vehicles, which would place additional pressure on a rural sector already hit by regulation and compliance costs for environmental reforms.

Those costs may have been exacerbated by the need to import fuels thanks to the closure of Marsden Point oil refinery. Biofuels are not a major crop for New Zealand; hence these, too, would be subject to import and the whim of global markets.

The Motor Trade Association submitted against the Biofuels Obligation Bill last month. It said in a statement following the prime minister’s announcement that they had foreshadowed major price hikes. However, they admitted that measures still must be taken against climate change.

The biofuels mandate would have reduced carbon emissions by one million tonnes by 2025, with a further 7 million tonnes in the following decade. Now, all eyes are on whether or not the scrapping of the bill, backed not just by Labour but also by Greens leader James Shaw, will lead to a further tranche of alternative taxes and fees to offset carbon.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins has axed a new biofuels mandate, which is good news for anyone who must use diesel to power their fleet

76% of New Zealanders are concerned about “fake news” and its implications